Anchor



NOV. 2, 1965 MCDIANIEL 3,215,111

ANCHOR Filed March 18, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7.257 -&

INVENTOR.

Nov. 2, 1965 E. MCDANIEL ANCHOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 18, 1963 INVENTOR. QZ KQMZZ My @MW United States Patent 3,215,111 ANCHOR Lawrence E. McDaniel, 300 W. Kawawha Ave., Columbus, Ohio Filed Mar. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 265,652 1 Claim. (Cl. 114208) The present invention relates to marine anchors having the standard Navy type of configuration and particularly to anchors having folding or collapsible flukes.

In small craft such as may be used by the pleasure fisherman and motor craft used for skiing an anchor is required. However, an anchor that would withstand the normal anchoring stresses would be extremely large and bulky in comparison to boat size.

Marine anchors with folding fiukes are known in the prior art. These anchors, however, have as their primary purpose folding to free themselves when fouled or lodged. The design of these anchors has been at a sacrifice to withstand normal anchoring stresses.

The present invention is a conventional Navy type of anchor with its known ability to dig in and withstand stressesand yet that is completely foldable into a neat package for storing on the craft when not in use.

It is a general objective of the invention to provide an anchor of the conventional Navy type with the ability to withstand normal anchoring stresses.

A further object of the invention is to provide an anchor of the conventional type that is completely foldable for storage when not in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an anchor that is completely foldable but yet is stronger and sturdier in construction and thereby having greater holding power for its size.

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a marine anchor that is relatively simple and inexpensive to construct avoiding the unhandy and complicated devices presently in use.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention in its folding arrangement;

FIG. 2 is a second side view of the anchor of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates in greater detail the cross-member of a preferred embodiment of the anchor in their extended position;

FIG. 4 illustrates in greater detail the fiukes of a preferred embodiment of the anchor in their extended positron;

FIG. 5 is a partial cutaway view of the interlocking members of the fiukes of the anchor in an extended position;

FIG. 6 is a partial cutaway view of the interlocking members of the fiukes of the anchor in a folded position; and

FIG. 7 is an end view illustrating the coaxial alignment of the pivotal points of the fiukes and cross-members.

Referring now to the figures in general, there is shown a preferred embodiment of the anchor of the invention. Shank 30 has fixed thereon on its upper portion an upper crown 10 having an eyelet 11 at the extreme end. Similarly, a lower crown is positioned at the lower end of shank 30, also having an eyelet 21 at its extreme end. A pair of fiukes and 50 are pivotally positioned about a single cross-axis within the lower crown 20. A crossmember having extending arms 60 and 70 are pivotly positioned about a single cross-axis within the upper crown 10.

The anchor when the fiukes and cross-members are in their extended position as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 is of conventional Navy design. The ruggedness and ability of this anchor has been fully appreciated for centuries. In operation, when the anchor is lowered in the water, the cross-members 60 and 70 force one or the other of the flukes 40 or 50 to bite into the sea or the river bed.

The primary feature of the anchor of the present invention is that it can be neatly folded into a compact assembly for storage. In this way a small craft can afford, space-wise, to carry a much larger and stnrdier anchor. Referring now specifically to FIGURES 1 and 2, the anchor is shown in a folded position. The fiukes 40 and 50 are folded up almost along the shank 30 and the cross members 60 and 70 are folded down almost 90 along the shank 30. The cross-members 60 and 70 and fiukes 40 and 50 are displaced cross-axis with respect to each other. The cross-members 60 and 70 and the fiukes 40 and 50 are firmly held in this folded position as described hereinafter.

With particular reference to the figures, the details of structure are shown that permit the folding or unfolding of the fiukes 40 and 50, as well as cross-members 60 and 70, without a loss of rigidity. At the pivot end of the fluke arms, a disc-like pivot plate 42 is integrally formed with the fluke 4t) and a similar disc-like pivot plate 52 is integrally formed with the fluke 50. These two disclike pivot plates 42 and 52 are placed adjacent each other so that apertures 48 and 58 (FIG. 7), through each of the centers of their cross-axis, is in alignment with each other, and with the aperture 24 in the lower crown 20. A pivot pin 24a is loosely inserted therethrough and thereby permits free up-and-down motion of the fiukes 40 and 50.

To fixedly retain the fiukes 40 and 50 in either the operation position or the folded position, there is further provided a pair of apertures 43 and 45 in fluke 40 and apertures 53 and 55 is fluke 50. When the fiukes 40 and 50 are in the folded or upright position, the apertures 45 and 55 will be in alignment with an aperture 22 in the lower crown 20 of the anchor. When the fiukes 40 and 50 are in their operation position, apertures 43 and 53. will be in alignment with the aperture 22 in the crown 20. To fixedly retain the fiukes in either position, a retaining pin 22a may be inserted therein.

Referring specifically to FIGURES 5, 6, and 7, there is shown another feature of the invention. In order that the longitudinal axes of the fiukes 40 and 50 be coextensive, each of the disc-like pivot plates 42 and 52 are reduced in their cross-sectional diameter to slightly less than one-half of the diameter of the arms of the flukes. The reduction in cross-section is accomplished on either side of the fiukes and then the two reduced sections are oppositely placed adjacent each other, as shown in FIGURE 7. In this Way, the two sections again have the cross-sectional size of either fluke.

It was stated above that a pin 22a, through apertures in the disc plates, retain the fiukes in their respective positions. It is to be understood that the stresses, when the anchor is in use, is not on this pin 22a. As a matter of fact, the pin 22a can well be omitted when the anchor is in use. To provide a stress region, the ends 44 and 54 of the fiukes form a pair of noses. These noses are in spaced relationship when the fiukes are folded (FIGURE 6); however, when the fiukes are down for operation, these noses abut each other (FIGURE 7), thereby forming a continuous stress region extended from the end of one fluke across the pivot to the end of the other fluke.

A line fastened to the eyelet 21 will relieve the fiukes from engagement and thereby permit retrieval. To further facilitate retrieval, the pin 22a may be omitted and then when the line fastened to the eyelet 21 is pulled, the fiukes will fold up and thereby relieve themselves.

At the opposite end of the shank at the upper end, and within the crown 10the cross-members 60 and 70 are pivotly constructed and positioned therein in a substantially identical manner to the flukes and 50. FIGURES 2 and 3 illustrate the cross-members and in their folded and operable positions. Specifically, crossmember 60 has at its lower end a disc-like pivot plate 63; and cross-member 70 has, at its lower end, a disclike pivot plate 73. These two pivot plates 63 and 73 have their center axis in alignment to permit pin 12a to be inserted through an aperture therethrough for pivoting. Also, in a similar manner, the disc-like pivot plates 63 and 73 are each reduced in cross-section and oppositely placed adjacent each other. In this way they are of a total cross-sectional diameter equal to either one of the pivot members. Again, to withstand the proper stresses, the plates 63 and 73 have noses 65 and 75 that abut each other when the cross-members are in their extended position.

It is to be observed that the noses 65 and 75 are with respect to the cross-members 60 and 70. This permits the cross-members to be extended straight across. On the other hand, noses 44 and 54 on the flukes 40 and 50 are less than 90, thereby when the fiukes are extended, they will not be straight across but will be bent upwards in a conventional Navy anchor manner.

It is now apparent that when the cross-members 60 and 70 and the flukes 40 and 50 are extended, the anchor is of the conventional Navy type. However, to permit storage of the anchor, especially in a small craft, the anchor may be neatly folded.

Although I have shown a specific and certain embodiment, it is to be understood that modifications may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

An anchor of the kind described comprising: a rod like shank, a first crown having secured thereto at one end a female type opening adapted to permanently receive and retain one end of said shank, and an eyelet secured to the other end of said crown; a pair of cross-members, a pivot plate integrally formed with each of said cross-members at one end thereof, said pivot plates having a thickness of substantially half the diameter of said members, each of said plates being offset with respect to the center line of its member, said plates having contacting faces in a plane substantially through the center line of said members, said plates together oppositely positioned adjacent one another, both of said pivot plates centrally positioned within said crown, means for pivotally retaining said plates in said crown, a nose on the outer periphery of each of said plates and formed on the end of each of said members, said noses positioned in spaced relationship to each other when said cross-members are pivoted toward said shank and in abutting relationship and holding said members extended outwardly in a substantially straight line when said members are opened away from said shank; a second crown having secured thereto at one end thereof a female type opening adapted to permanently receive and retain the other end of said shank, an eyelet secured to the other end of said crown; a pair of flukes, a pivot plate integrally formed with each of said flukes at one end thereof; said pivot plates having a thickness of substantially half the diameter of said flukes, each of said plates being offset with respect to the center line of its fluke,'said plates having contacting faces in a plane substantially through the center line of said flukes, and said plates together oppositely positioned with respect to one another, both of said plates centrally positioned within said second crown, means for pivotally retaining said plates within said second crown, a nose on the outer periphery of each of said plates and formed on the end of said flukes, said noses positioned in spaced relationship when said flukes are pivoted toward said shank and in abutting relationship and holding said fiukes at less than apart when said flukes are pivoted away from said shank; said cross members and said fiukes having an over-all length of the order of two-thirds of that of said shank together with said first and second crowns; and said members and said fiukes positioned within their respective crowns to be pivoted at cross-axis with respect to each other about said shank.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

FERGUS S. MIDDLETON, T. M. BLIX, Examiners. 

